Cultural Methods for Improving Direct Harvest Efficiency in Dry Edible Bean.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate dry bean germplasm in their response to crop residue or cover crops. Irrigated field studies conducted at Lingle, WY, in 2016 and 2017 were a split-plot RCB design with 3 replicates. In 2016, 18 dry bean cultivars were evaluated. Heights from the soil to cotyledon and unifoliate leaves were measured on July 8. Among pinto cultivars, a wide range of heights was observed. Objectives in 2017 were: 1) evaluate early-season node elongation for 15 different cultivars, 2) evaluate whether those node heights related to pod height at maturity, 3) determine the yield trade-offs from early season node extension, 4) evaluate the impact of green vegetation on 3 dry bean cultivars that exhibit different early season node elongation patterns. Height from the soil to cotyledon, unifoliate, and first trifoliate leaves were measured. At maturity, the height of the lowest and second lowest pod was measured and yield data was collected. Average unifoliate node heights ranged from 4.1 to 7.3 cm. For pintos, each cm increase in node height corresponded to a 2.2 cm increase in pod height. Three dry bean cultivars were grown in planter boxes divided into 3 sections to test objective 4 in Laramie. Sixteen beans were planted in the center section and outside sections were filled and either left bare or covered with sod to simulate presence or absence of a cover crop. Treatments were replicated 2 times in 2016 and 5 times in 2017. Unifoliate leaf heights in 2016 for soil vs. grass treatments for each variety were: COSD-35, 3.8 and 4.3 cm; ND307, 5.1 and 5.6 cm; and Othello, 4.2 and 4.4 cm, respectively. In 2017, beans were planted June 5. The presence of sod increased the unifoliate and first trifoliate node heights on all cultivars.